Behind the scenes: how operational emails synchronize IT and enterprise workflows

Concluding our series on email automation, we take you behind the scenes to explore the vital role of operational emails in harmonizing IT and enterprise workflows. As we unravel the intricate web of operational communication, we encourage you to revisit the earlier articles in this series. By traversing the entire spectrum of email types, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of how email automation propels organizations toward efficiency, engagement, and growth.

Read more: 

• Email automation: Streamlining operations in the workplace
• Business emails: Embracing efficiency and security in the workplace
• Marketing emails: Harnessing the power of customer-centric strategies
• Emails that matter: Transactional email

As digital transformation sweeps across industries, emails have evolved from mere communication tools into intricate components of organizational machinery. While most of us are familiar with marketing and transactional emails, operational emails—complex, system-triggered messages pivotal to a company's internal orchestration—remain relatively under the radar.

Unpacking operational emails

Unlike transactional emails that face consumers, such as order confirmations or subscription updates, operational emails resonate in the internal or backend operations of enterprises. Typically, they emerge from automated tools, such as a new support ticket being raised in a help desk system, a shift in lead status within a CRM, or the alert from an ERP upon inventory depletion. They take on myriad forms, from notifications, alerts, and reminders, to intricate reports and critical system updates.

While "operational email" might not be the universal term, some might dub them system notifications or process alerts, internal alerts, or platform-generated mails, amongst other names. However, for the purposes of this discussion, we’ve adopted the nomenclature of "operational emails" to differentiate them from transactional ones.

The operational email imperative

Without the pulse of operational emails, DevOps teams could be left groping in the dark, and immediate system downtime may go unnoticed, leading to prolonged service interruptions. Additionally, unplanned maintenance or urgent patch deployments may be delayed, elevating vulnerability risks. This environment, riddled with communication gaps and reactionary measures, starkly contrasts with the proactive, synchronized landscape that operational emails foster.

When we view the world through the lens of operational email precision, IT teams become highly responsive. They can consistently maintain system uptime, and any glitches or potential breaches immediately activate real-time notifications, allowing for proactive issue resolution.
Operational emails beyond IT streamline diverse business functions. In a manufacturing ecosystem, operational emails ensure that every chain in the production process is interlinked seamlessly. Machinery alerts, inventory notifications, and workflow disruptions are all addressed immediately for uninterrupted production, optimum resource utilization, and prompt deliveries to market.

Similarly, in CRM, operational emails notify teams about lead activities, allowing for timely sales actions. Within ERP systems, they alert teams of supply chain shifts, ensuring agility. For HR, they circulate policy updates and meeting reminders, bolstering workforce alignment. And in facilities management, they signal everything from HVAC issues to room bookings, maintaining seamless operations. 

The pivotal role of these emails extends beyond mere notifications; they encapsulate the very essence of real-time business management connecting different departments, ensuring smooth information flow for quick decisions and actions.

Operational email touchpoints

Operational emails, whether in IT or traditional business operations, provide timely alerts, reminders, or updates, facilitating optimal performance and swift decision-making.

For IT teams, these notifications can be the difference between seamless operations and unexpected downtime. For traditional business functions, these emails ensure smooth workflow transitions, timely deliveries, and more.

While both domains might seem disparate, the underpinning need is the same: clear, timely, and actionable communication. Let's delve deeper into the touchpoints from which these operational emails emerge, spanning both IT and non-IT sectors:

IT touchpoints

Non-IT touchpoints

Configuration and integration

Operational emails are often triggered by a combination of events, data changes, or specific conditions that are detected by a system or application. The technical configuration and integration of email services with various tools follow a common pattern, although the specific implementation details can vary based on the tool or system and the email service provider (ESP) being used.

API (integration with help desk and an ESP)

Let’s look at a context of a firm using an IT service management tool like ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus and walk through the process of integrating operational email alerts using API integration with an email service provider (ESP) like Zoho Mail or an email API platform like Mail360.

SMTP relay (integration between an APM Tool and an ESP)

SMTP relay setup ensures real-time transmission of critical performance insights  from an APM tool like ManageEngine Site24x7 to the relevant stakeholders, channeled securely through the ESP's infrastructure.

Webhook configuration

In webhook-based setups, systems push data to predefined URLs when specific events happen. This requires configuring the URL endpoint and specifying which events should trigger the webhook.

Third-party integrations

Platforms like Zapier and Zoho Flow offer connectors to integrate tools without direct API or SMTP setup. Setting this up involves selecting the apps, specifying trigger events, and defining corresponding actions.

Operational email challenges

Operational emails, while they play a critical role in optimizing organizational operations, they also pose several unique challenges to the implementing teams. These challenges range from technical concerns, like scalability and integration, to human-centered issues like alert fatigue. Let’s look at the nature of these challenges, their potential implications, and possible solutions. 

Summing up

Operational emails aren’t just about communication; they're about optimization. While they inherently serve to notify, their larger purpose is to refine, streamline, and enhance enterprise workflows. For implementation teams, this means viewing operational emails not just as messages, but as catalysts for organizational efficiency, an opportunity to optimize a facet of the enterprise. By focusing on the transformative potential of these emails and understanding their pivotal role, teams can ensure that their systems perform at their peak.

This article is co-authored by Sandeep Kotla and Vignesh S.

Sandeep is an accomplished inbound marketer at Zoho Corporation, specializing in digital workplace strategies, digital transformation initiatives, and enhancing employee experiences. Previously, he handled analyst relations and corporate marketing for Manage Engine (a division of Zoho Corp.) and its suite of IT management products. He currently spends most of his time re-imagining and writing about how work gets done in large organizations, reading numerous newsletters, and Marie Kondo-ing his inbox.

Vignesh works as a Marketing Analyst at Zoho Corporation, specializing in content initiatives and digital workplace strategies. He's a passionate creator with a penchant for marketing and growth. In his free time, you can see him shuffling between books, movies, music, sports, and traveling, not necessarily in the same order.